Breadcrumbs

Changing trends of matrimony

“Till death do us part”, once considered so solemn, is losing its essence with time. Sacrosanct wedding vows unfortunately do not have a profound impact on a lasting bond. Sanctity of marriage is fading. The latest in the United Kingdom is the concept of a wedding contract. Depending on the term of the contract, in case a marriage needs to be terminated, It facilitates a smooth separation and divorce. And if the couple is happy at the end of the stipulated period, they can renew the contract. I can’t but help comparing it to a work contract. If the employer and the employee are satisfied with each other, the contract is renewed or else they part ways. Ironical yet surprisingly realistic – befitting the times of today.

At the outset, this concept appears negative. The initial response to such an arrangement would be of disgruntle and contempt. May sound horrifying too. It would raise many an eyebrow. Why start a relationship on a negative note? Why presume it won’t work out? But delving deep into it reveals that it’s not as bad. Given the changing times of today, this is a very practical approach to matrimony. It would help couples work hard towards making it work – if they are happy with each other. The scope to take each other for granted reduces to quite an extent. In this kind of a setup, there is a different kind of motivation to strive towards making it a success.

A marriage contract claims to protect the interest of both the partners. If things don’t go as expected, they can call it quits and their individual interests are thereby safeguarded. It rests on the principle of ‘hope for the best but be prepared for the worst.’ A little too modern for our culture, but given the ever-increasing number of divorces in the west, it certainly is a good step towards maintaining a distress free split. Especially when children are involved this can help a couple remain amicable post divorce. An extremely essential condition for the wellbeing of children involved – scars that a broken home can leave on children should never be underestimated. Divorce is a long-drawn process in our country. People in dead or bitter marriages continue to stay in it only because opting out takes years. People end up wasting precious years of their life waiting for one legal stamp of termination. Of course, this is done to deter people from taking the extreme step. It does discourage couples to a large extent. But with some marriages, breakup is inevitable when it is irreparable. A contract or an agreement would certainly help.

No relationship, especially a sacred matrimonial association should ever break. Should always be for keeps. It’s no rocket science to remain married but an art for sure. With the right attitude, open mindedness, determination and commitment, a beautiful and lasting tie can be created. After all ‘till death do us part should never be replaced by till divorce do us part…’